Future of Cell Tower at Piney Orchard Elementary Unclear

A company looking to build a cell tower on the property of Piney Orchard Elementary School hit another roadblock last week, after realizing that a second proposal was unworkable. 

Milestone Communications met with school officials on Sept. 17 to discuss a plan that would put the tower in a field on the school property. But during a tour of the site, officials realized it was unviable because it sat in a large drainage ditch. 

The discovery leaves plans up in the air and comes as the county council plans to discuss a bill that would ban cell towers on or near schools. 

“There’s no plan C,” said Stacy Korbelak, a school board member who attended the Sept. 17 meeting.

Korbelak was among those who attended an information session Tuesday to update the community on plans for the cell tower, which would be designed to address a gap in cell coverage in Piney Orchard. 

Many parents of students at Piney Orchard Elementary reiterated their opposition Tuesday to the cell tower plan, citing concerns over safety, aesthetics and property values.  

Other nearby residents said Milestone should continue working toward finding alternative sites in the community. 

"Milestone has more due diligence to do," said Steve Randol, a board member on the Piney Orchard Community Association. "They haven't really completed their homework."

See also: 

Cell Tower at Piney Orchard Elementary: A Primer